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2015 IndyCar Series

2015 IndyCar Series

The 2015 IndyCar Series was the 20th season of the IndyCar Series and the 104th season of American open wheel racing. Its premier event was the 99th Indianapolis 500, which was held on May 24. Will Power returned as the reigning champ, while Ryan Hunter-Reay was the defending Indy five hundred champ. Chevrolet entered the season as the reigning Manufacturers’ champ. Indianapolis five hundred and the season finale counted for dual points.

The season was marred by the death of driver Justin Wilson at Pocono, after being struck on the head by debris from another car.

A week after Wilson’s accident, the finale was held at Sonoma Raceway, where Scott Dixon secured his fourth career title after a low-key season that spotted him win on a tiebreak against Juan Pablo Montoya following his third win of the season after many consistent finishes leading up to the finale. Montoya won the Indianapolis five hundred earlier in the season. It was a very competitive season with no standout performers and many different race winners and pacesetters. Except Dixon’s three race wins, he finished on the podium only once, but due to their consistent ending Dixon and Montoya had a significant margin to reigning champ Will Power in third.

Contents

Notes Edit

  • Bryan Clauson will drive an entry fielded by Jonathan Byrd’s Racing at the Indy five hundred in two thousand fifteen and 2016. KV Racing Technology was confirmed to support the entry. [43]
  • Ed Carpenter Racing and Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing merged to form CFH Racing, [44] and will use Chevrolet engines and aerokits in 2015. [45]
  • Andretti Autosport re-signed Ryan Hunter-Reay and sponsor DHL to a multi year contract. [7]
  • Josef Newgarden was announced that he will drive the CFH Racing #67 entry full-time in two thousand fifteen with an option for an extension of the contract for a 2nd year. [46]
  • Simon Pagenaud departs Schmidt Peterson Motorsports after three years and will join Team Penske in the No. Twenty two car.
  • Team Penske president Tim Cindric confirmed on Twitter that defending series champ Will Power would be running the #1 car. [47]
  • Ryan Briscoe will not comeback to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2015, and is actively pursuing another rail. [48]
  • James Hinchcliffe has announced that he will leave Andretti Autosport to substitute Pagenaud in the #Five Schmidt Peterson Racing car. [35][36] He will be joined in the team by James Jakes – substituting Mikhail Aleshin – who comes back to the series after missing the two thousand fourteen season. [39]
  • Jack Hawksworth was confirmed to drive the #41 A. J. Foyt Enterprises car full-time in 2015. Takuma Sato will also comeback to the team’s #14 car. [1]
  • Mikhail Aleshin will come back to Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in a 3rd entry at Sonoma. [49]

R Road course/Street circuit

Schedule switches and notes Edit

  • The Itaipava Brasília Indy three hundred was scheduled to be held on March eight at the Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet in Brasília, Brazil. [50] On January 29, the race was cancelled by the Federal District officials freshly elected in the two thousand fourteen national elections, where the incumbent Governor from the Workers’ Party had been defeated, and substituted by the candidate from the Brazilian Socialist Party. [51] As tires and fuel had already been shipped for the race, the series sent representatives to the Autódromo de Goiânia to check the viability of the venue to host the race. [52]
  • NOLA Motorsports Park was announced to have a race over the weekend of April 10–12, 2015. [53]
  • Texas Motor Speedway was confirmed to come back to the June 4–6 weekend and that the race would be on NBCSN. [54]
  • Auto Club Speedway was confirmed to be scheduled for June 27, moved from their usual date at the end of the season. [55]
  • IndyCar & Mi-Jack Promotions announced on August 29, two thousand fourteen that the Houston doubleheader at NRG Park has been canceled for two thousand fifteen due to scheduling issues.
  • The races at Barber Motorsports Park (April 26), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (August Two) and Sonoma Raceway (August 30) were confirmed by the release of the Pirelli World Challenge schedule; PWC supports those events on the IndyCar calendar as well as St. Petersburg, Long Beach & Detroit. [56]
  • The Toronto Sun reported that the Honda Indy Toronto would stay at Exhibition Place and would be run on the weekend of June 12–14, 2015, to avoid a clash with the two thousand fifteen Pan American Games, due to be held the following month in the city. Unlike the last two seasons, the race weekend will only feature one race instead of two, making Detroit the only double-header weekend of the season. [57]
  • The ABC Supply Wisconsin two hundred fifty at the Milwaukee Mile was confirmed to be held on July 12, two thousand fifteen by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. [58]
  • The ABC Supply five hundred at Pocono Raceway was moved from the July four weekend date the track had in two thousand thirteen and two thousand fourteen to the weekend of August twenty three for the two thousand fifteen season.
  • Aerokit modifications became specific to Honda and Chevy
  • Dual points will be awarded for the Indianapolis five hundred race and for the season finale at Sonoma only. Previously dual points were awarded at the three five hundred mile oval events.
  • Each team will proceed to have two weeks of testing. Unlike past seasons, Promoter Days/Open Tests will count towards the testing allocation.
  • The medical exemption will be eliminated from pit selections. Pit selections are no longer based on drivers but teams’ spectacle in the last race. This switch eliminates a disadvantage by one IndyCar team that used a “two-platoon” system, with driver based on the circuit.
  • Qualifying groups for qualifying at road/street course events will be determined by the final practice session held before qualifying instead of by the very first session of the weekend.
  • Standing starts have been eliminated for 2015. The series says more development is needed before re-introducing them to the series, especially after numerous aborted standing starts and a crash at Houston during the two thousand thirteen season, and a start-line pile-up at the Indianapolis road course race in 2014.
  • Each phase of the Indianapolis five hundred Rookie Orientation Program will see the speed requirements enlargened by five mph. Phase One consists of ten laps at 205–210 mph, Phase Two of fifteen laps at 210–215 mph and Phase Three of fifteen laps at 215+ mph. The laps do not have to be consecutive. The phases and corresponding speeds may be adjusted based on track/weather conditions. The refresher program will consist of Phases Two and Three. [59]

Round 1: St. Petersburg Edit

The season opener at St. Petersburg was also the debut of unique aero kits for Honda and Chevrolet. Apprehension amongst the teams going into the race revolved around the sophisticated, elaborate, and seemingly fragile front wings, and the lack of adequate replacement parts. The concerns were not unfounded, as dozens of on-track contacts across the field bruised innumerable wing components.

Will Power won the pole position, leading a Team Penske sweep of the very first four positions on the grid. Power took the lead at the embark, and led seventy five laps. During the final round of pit stops, Juan Pablo Montoya grabbed the lead after he managed a quicker pit stop than Power. In the closing laps, Power chased down Montoya, and narrowed the gap to less than a 2nd with eleven laps to go. Power attempted to pass Montoya for the lead in turn Ten, but the two cars touched, hurting Power’s front wing. Montoya held the lead, and went on to win, his very first road course victory in IndyCar racing since 1999.

Round Two: Fresh Orleans Edit

IndyCar made its very first visit to NOLA Motorsports Park for the 2nd round of the series. Lightning during qualifying in the middle of Round 1B cancelled the entire session, with the grid determined by entrant points, placing Juan Pablo Montoya on pole courtesy of having won the opening race in St. Petersburg. He was joined on the front row by Penske teammate Will Power. [60]

The weather had eased on race day tho’ not entirely cleared, witnessing the race begin in raw conditions. Montoya led the race early as conditions improved prompting a number of drivers to gamble on a switch to dry tires. Tony Kanaan and Ryan Hunter-Reay both stopped after eleven laps, [61] a decision which proved too early as Kanaan spun off soon after. Conditions rapidly improved however and two laps later the leaders pitted for dry tires which promoted James Hinchcliffe into the lead, courtesy of an earlier stop. From there on the race was dictated by a series of caution periods as the drivers continued to fight in the mixed conditions, the final caution period coming as Hunter-Reay, Sébastien Bourdais and Simon Pagenaud crashed together.

The series had announced a 1-hour and forty five minute time limit in the event of a moist race. Due to this time limit being reached in addition to the cautions, the race ended under yellow following the 3-car crash involving Hunter-Reay, Bourdais, and Pagenaud. Hinchcliffe won the race.

Round Trio: Long Beach Edit

Hélio Castroneves won the pole position with a track record of 1:06.7442, hammering Sébastien Bourdais’s mark set in Champ Car in 2006. Castroneves’s Penske teammate Juan Pablo Montoya began alongside on the front row. At the commence, Castroneves got the hop, and led into turn one.

During the very first sequence of green flag pit stops on lap 29, Castoneves was shortly held in his pit box to avoid collision with Tony Kanaan, who was coming in the stall just ahead. The delay cost Castroneves valuable track position, and permitted Scott Dixon to take over the lead. During the 2nd round of pit stops on lap 55, Dixon was narrowly able to hold the lead, and cruised to victory, his very first career win at Long Beach. With Dixon cozily out in front, and Castroneves in 2nd, the closing laps focused on a furious four-car battle for third place, led by Juan Pablo Montoya and Simon Pagenaud. Fifth place went to Tony Kanaan.

Round Four: Birmingham Edit

With a 2nd consecutive pole position, Hélio Castroneves took the front row with a time of 1:07.1925 alongside teammate Will Power, while a third-place effort by Simon Pagenaud made it another Penske 1-2-3 qualifying lock-out. Josef Newgarden took his very first career victory, the fourth different winner in the four races thus far in the season.

Castroneves led early in the race, but lost the lead on lap nineteen after another pit stop problem. The right-front tire changer lost a wheel nut, and that permitted Josef Newgarden to come to the lead. In the 2nd half, Newgarden led, Scott Dixon was 2nd, and Castroneves was third, but Graham Rahal was on a different pit strategy. As the leaders were attempting to save fuel and make it to the finish, Rahal pit on lap 70. With a utter blast of fuel, and fresh crimson option tires, Rahal went on a spirited charge to catch the leaders. He shaven eighteen seconds off of Newgarden’s lead, and passed Scott Dixon for 2nd on the final lap. Newgarden held off the charge and won by just Two.Two seconds.

Castroneves ran out of fuel on the final lap, forcing him to pit, and he dropped to 15th. Will Power recovered from a collision exiting the pits (and subsequent drive-through penalty) on lap twenty four to come home fourth. With Castroneves pulling down to 15th at the finish, teammate Juan Pablo Montoya maintained the championship lead.

Round Five: Grand Prix of Indianapolis Edit

Will Power won the pole position for the 2nd annual Grand Prix of Indianapolis, continuing a predominant trend in two thousand fifteen for Penske Racing during qualifying. Penske cars qualified 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, with Ganassi’s Scott Dixon (2nd) situated on the outside of the front row.

At the commence, a multi-car tangle in turn one witnessed Scott Dixon spin out in front of the entire field. Hélio Castroneves (in his milestone 300th Indy car commence) was involved in contact, as was Josef Newgarden, and others. Will Power took the lead and predominated the race, leading sixty five of eighty two laps. Power became the fifth different winner in as many races for 2015.

Round 6: Indianapolis five hundred Edit

2008 winner Scott Dixon commenced from pole position for the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500. In a Threesome shootout over the fourteen remaining laps with Will Power and Scott Dixon, Juan Pablo Montoya was crowned his 2nd Indianapolis five hundred title.

Round 7: Detroit (Sat.) Edit

A southwesterly cold front soddening the circuit for Saturday’s fever one of the Belle Isle Detroit Grand Prix, it was Will Power on pole position. In a humid race on the composite circuit, Carlos Munoz took his very first IndyCar win, lapping through 9th place in the process. Runner-up was Marco Andretti; Simon Pagenaud 3rd.

Round 8: Detroit (Sun.) Edit

The remnant of yesterday’s cold front lingered in a fog over a soaking raw Belle Isle circuit for Sunday’s warmth two of the Detroit Grand Prix. Qualification scrubbed, the grid formed up on the basis of driver points, Juan Pablo Montoya on pole position, with Will Power alongside, row 1. The very first thirty seven laps were run caution free. Yet, 50% of the last thirty one laps run under caution, seldom were there ever more than three consecutive green flag laps run, over the remaining portion of the race. The driver aving gotten his strategy correct, Sébastien Bourdais led to the stripe with six laps to go, gaped the field, and earned his very first win of the two thousand fifteen season, Takuma Sato 2nd, Graham Rahal 3rd.

Round 9: Texas Edit

Under a clear sky, high fever, and 63% humidity, twenty three cars took to the D-shaped 1.Five mile Texas Motor Speedway circuit with Will Power on pole position. Ganassi drivers Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan finished very first and 2nd respectively, 7.8 seconds apart, with second-place Kanaan about ten seconds ahead of third-place Hélio Castroneves.

Round Ten: Toronto Edit

With light rain as the field approached for the green flag,starter’s orders called for a mandatory single-file rolling embark. Will Power earned pole position; Josef Newgarden won the race, holding off his CFH Racing teammate Luca Filippi by 1.Four seconds, ahead of third-place Castroneves, fourth-place Power and Sébastien Bourdais in fifth.

Round 11: Fontana Edit

Simon Pagenaud won pole position, followed by Hélio Castroneves, Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter, Juan Montoya and Tony Kanaan. The lead would subsequently alternate eighty times via the 500-mile race, an IndyCar Series record. [62] On lap 241, Sato collided into Will Power, taking them both out of the race. This would set up a late sprint to the finish when the green flag swinged on lap 247. [63] On the penultimate lap of the race, the final incident of the day occurred when Sage Karam and Juan Pablo Montoya pinched Ryan Hunter-Reay into Ryan Briscoe, the latter of whom was sent airborne at a speed of two hundred ten miles per hour (340 km/h). [64] This permitted Rahal to accomplish the final two laps to the checkered flag under caution, for his very first win of the year. [63]

Round 12: Milwaukee Edit

Josef Newgarden picked up his very first career pole in the Verizon Indycar Series. The very first caution didn’t came until one hundred fourteen when James Jakes lost an engine in turn 1. The 2nd caution didn’t fly until one hundred thirty one when Ryan Briscoe spun and hit his country mate Will Power in turn Four. The 3rd and final caution came in lap two hundred twenty two when Justin Wilson lost an engine in turn 1. Sébastien Bourdais eventually lapped the entire field. He managed to hold off Hélio Castroneves and Graham Rahal to pick up his 2nd win of the year. Sébastien Bourdais got his very first oval win since two thousand six and the 34th of his career, tying Al Unser Jr.

Round 13: Iowa Edit

Hélio Castroneves picked up his 3rd pole at Iowa. The restart was flapped off when Hélio Castroneves leaped his country mate and friend Tony Kanaan. The 2nd caution swinged on lap ten when Championship leader Juan Pablo Montoya crashed in turn Two. The third caution came on lap twenty five when Charlie Kimball and Stefano Coletti got together in turn Trio. The fourth caution flapped on lap one hundred eight when Justin Wilson got up high in turn Two, eventually cut a tire down. The fifth caution came out on lap one hundred seventy two when Charlie Kimball crashed in turn Two. The sixth caution came on lap one hundred ninety five when Stefano Coletti crashed in turn Two. The seventh and final caution swinged on lap two hundred sixty two when Takuma Sato hit the wall in turn Two. Ryan Hunter Reay held off Josef Newgarden and Sage Karam to picked up his very first win of the season. Ed Carpenter got out of his car after the race and confronted at the twenty year old rookie driver from Nazareth Pennsylvania Sage Karam.

Round 14: Mid-Ohio Edit

Scott Dixon captured the pole at Mid Ohio, his 2nd pole of the season. he was followed by Will Power, Sébastien Bourdais, Hélio Castroneves, Josef Newgarden, and Charlie Kimball. Early on Josef Newgarden ran Will Power off track in turn Four, the very first caution came out when Charlie Kimball spun in turn 6, after getting his tire cut down from Will Power. The very first restart came on lap 7. The 2nd caution came out when Stefano Coletti spun Takuma Sato in turn Four, and there was debris in various locations around the track. The next restart came on lap 26. The 3rd caution came when Sage Karam spun inbetween turns four & Five. The next restart came on lap 70. The next to final caution came when Rodolfo González spun Charlie Kimball in turn Four. The final restart came on lap eighty four when Graham Rahal held off a hard charging Justin Wilson for the win. The final caution came when Luca Filippi stalled in turn nine on the final lap and Graham Rahal picked up his 2nd win of the season and 3rd of his career tying Ed Carpenter for wins, he was followed by Justin Wilson and Simon Pagenaud. Graham Rahal gained thirty three points on Championship Leader Juan Pablo Montoya. The margin from 1st to 2nd in the championship was from forty two to 9.

Round 15: Pocono Edit

Hélio Castroneves picked up his 4th pole of the season, and very first at Pocono Raceway. The commence was swinged off twice when Hélio Castroneves hopped his teammate Simon Pagenaud. They eventually flapped the green flag on lap Trio. The 2nd caution came when Jack Hawksworth lost a tire in turn 1, eventually Sage Karam and Juan Pablo Montoya dodged the lost tire from Jack Hawksworth. The restart came on lap 36. The 3rd caution came when Sébastien Bourdais wrecked in turn 1. The restart came on lap 43, the 4th caution came when Jack Hawksworth and Charlie Kimball getting together in turn 1. The next restart came on lap 92, the 5th caution came when Graham Rahal and Tristan Vautier crashed in turn Trio. The next restart came on lap 103, the 6th caution came when debris from Ed Carpenter had contact from James Jakes, eventually the debris was on the frontstretch. The next restart came on lap 114, the 7th caution came when Tony Kanaan spun and hit the wall in turn Two. The next restart came on lap 138, the 8th caution came when Marco Andretti spun and hit wall in turn Two. The next restart came on lap 148, the 9th caution (season’s record) came when a fox ran from the infield and through the catchfence. The next restart came on lap 166. The 10th caution came when Hélio Castroneves crashed in turn 1. The next restart came on lap 172. The 11th caution came when rookie Sage Karam spun and hit the wall in turn 1. As debris was splashed from the car, the nosecone section made contact with Justin Wilson’s helmet inflicting severe brain harm. The unconscious Wilson then crashed into the infield at turn 1. The final restart came on lap 193, the 12th and final caution came on lap one hundred ninety seven when Rookie Gabby Chaves lost an engine. Ryan Hunter Reay picked up his 2nd win of the season, and 2nd out of the last three races, he held off Josef Newgarden and Juan Pablo Montoya for the win. The race set a fresh record of caution flags flew at an Indycar race, the record was previously held by the two thousand seven Indianapolis 500. On August 24, Justin Wilson gave way to his injuries twenty four hrs after the race. He had been in a coma following the injury he had received during the race. His death marked the very first fatality for the Dallara DW12 and the very first since Dan Wheldon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during the IZOD IndyCar World Championship.

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